WBAI Radio Programs, circa 1970s
Title
WBAI Radio Programs, circa 1970s
Description
These radio programs were recorded onto compact audio cassettes by an unknown individual (or individuals) who documented over a hundred different broadcasts from WBAI public radio. The tapes may have been dubbed from the open reel tape masters before the masters were moved to the Pacifica Radio Archives. The audio cassettes were eventually donated to the Lesbian Herstory Archives. The cassettes were digitized by students at the Pratt Institute’s Library and Information Science Program in 2024-2025.
The programs contain programs that are specific to feminism and lesbian communities, including panels, workshops and interviews featuring feminist writers, artists, poets and other cultural producers that were broadcasted via the radio. Radio programs include Amazon Country, Women's Consciousness Raising Hour, among others.
The programs contain programs that are specific to feminism and lesbian communities, including panels, workshops and interviews featuring feminist writers, artists, poets and other cultural producers that were broadcasted via the radio. Radio programs include Amazon Country, Women's Consciousness Raising Hour, among others.
Collection Items
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Our Cities, Our Lives - Wife Battery
Episode of Our Lives, Our City. Side A is an interview with members of the Center for the Elimination of Violence in the Family (Yolonda Baker and Diane Jackson) and a former resident of the center (Laura), mostly about the center and the work they are doing. The Center for the Elimination of Violence in the Family opened on March 4, 1977 (according to Yolonda, it is the first domestic violence shelter in NYC). The Center offers shelter/residence, counseling, referrals to education programs, job-training, work opportunities at the shelter, and accompaniment to welfare, family court, and police appointments. Side B is for taking calls. -
Unstuck in Time - Magic
Side A: Margot Adler discusses the various definitions of "occult" and "magic" as expressed by four groups in society: the uneducated, the educated, scholars, and practicitioners. Adler contends that the way these words are defined reflect social conditioning and shape the conversation around spiritual practice and occult study. She proposes a definition that is not mystical nor supernatural that she explores and expounds upon throughout the program. To this end, Adler relates an experience she had visiting and working within a small farming community of magic practitioners and how their understanding of magic as the "art of getting results" applied to their lives. One psychological element that Adler focuses upon is charisma and how the charisma of individuals or communities is itself a magical quality.
Side B: There is a call in portion at the end of the program wherein Adler and callers talk about Rorschach and the Tarot, therapist role within witchcraft, New York magical and spiritual communities, and ends with a more heated discussion regarding the divisions between magic and science. -
Modern Scream
Side A opens with Viv Sutherland introducing Lily Tomlin’s comedy album Modern Scream on the WBAI Women’s Studies program. The bulk of the tape features Tomlin’s satirical sketches, where she voices multiple characters. Highlights include a bizarre monologue from a woman addicted to rubber, a mock celebrity interview parodying Hollywood shallowness, a chaotic sorority speech full of performative morality, and a child’s monologue touching on emotional contradictions. The humor is absurdist, character-driven, and rooted in media and gender satire.
Side B continues with more sketches from Modern Scream, maintaining the format of comic vignettes performed by Tomlin. It features a flashback to Detroit high school life, a surreal phone company sketch, a spoof interview about playing a heterosexual woman, a parody detergent commercial that turns into a soap opera-style meltdown, and a long sermon from “Sister Boogie Woman” celebrating radical self-expression. The tape closes with Sutherland’s sign-off and a preview of upcoming feminist programming. Like Side A, it’s rich in satire but not thematically aligned with our themes. -
More Than Half the World - A Pretty Face is not Safe in this City
Side A: Host discusses women's rights and justice in the United States. Show features various feminist musicians. -
The Female Angst
Side A:Women playing the guitar singing a jingle. She goes on to talk about the pain that comes with operating in a male centered society. In an interview, two women talk about women not being as confident in their ability of being without the "big father" figure present for reassurance. There's a conversation discussing how a woman sacrifices more, does more, feels more, which makes them gifted. They talk about women as nature, explaining how a woman's suffering forces people to experience life on a deeper level. There is talk about work as a form of salvation while finding moments of joy in the process.
Side B:"Equating women to death, and men with life." Person being interviewed offers a new perspective on coexisting as both man and woman. She stresses personal identity over identification and speaks about how when a women acquires education she poses as a threat to men. She mentions how women giving boundless and immense love to men, when in actuality women are in search of themselves as an individual. Tape ends in music. -
Common Ground - Women Have Always Worked
(This is side B of tape) An interview with Alice Kessler-Harris about her book, "Women Have Always Worked," published by Feminist Press. Hessler redefines "work" and also emphasizes how historically women's labor was not salaried or compenstated financially. -
♀♀ (Women) in El Salvador
(This is Side A of tape) Part one of a program on Latin-American women, features a recorded lecture by journalist Anne Nelson given at an International Women's League for Peace and Freedom meeting. Nelson discusses her trip to El Salvador, the paramilitary death squads, and the specific state violence done to Salvadoran women. Nelson laments how this is not being reported on or considered "news" by fellow American reporters and Washington. -
Women's Studies
Robin Morgan Reads: The Network of the Imaginary MotherRobin Morgan reads her five part poem that is " a weird love poem" to her mother, husband, friends (sisters), children, and her self. Morgan describes it as a metaphysical search for transcendence. Mentioning the goddess, the poem situates womanhood to genitalia and the body. -
Woman (W♀man): Sandra Elkin Speaks with Cris Williamson
Woman' is a talk show featuring in-depth conversations exploring issues affecting the lives of women. This episode features a conversation with Cris Williamson, who has been a singer songwriter for the past 14 years. She currently records with Olivia Records, an all-womens recording company. Her latest release is the "Changer and the Changed." -
Know Your Body: Sexuality
From a series of 8 lectures which comprised a course by and for women also entitled "Know Your Body." The course was given at the Women's Medical Center in New York City, where this lecture was recorded for WBAI in May and June, 1972, by Caryl Ratner and Bill Monaghan. Produced by Caryl Ratner. Contains frank, explicit discussion. Broadcast on WBAI first in June, 1972 and also in October 1972. -
Unstuck in Time
Notes on back: "Return from Vacation"
"Prospectus for 'Season'" "Feminism"
"Synthesis of Politics + Spirituality"
"Ms.Magazine September 1975 + Akwesasne Note" -
Everywoman Space - Tarot
Tarot reader explains her practice and interpretation of tarot from a “subjective level.” Spirituality/tarot is positioned as a move from patriarchy. The tarot reader credits her practice of tarot to her upbringing around women, reading of feminist texts, also her mother is a witch. -
More Than Half the World - Abortion
Host, Judy Pasternak, discusses abortion and the struggle for the legal right of women to have control over their bodies. In her reflection upon the legal battle surrounding this issue, Pasternak notes that the majority of the individuals making these decisions from a federal level down to its local implementation are male identifying. In her past experience and many other of the callers, the medical infrastructure and service providers were male which they felt impacted their care and the comportment of the medical team. -
1st East Coast Conference on Women & Porn
Side B - 1st East Coast Conference on Women & Porn: “The following segment on the Velvet Sledgehammer features tapings from the 1st East Coast Conference on Women and Pornography.”
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Women + Crime
Side A: In this interview, Dr. Freda Adler discusses the rise in female criminal behavior as a consequence of broader social changes, particularly women’s increased participation in public and professional life. She explains that as women gain access to new roles, they also gain opportunities to engage in crimes once dominated by men. Traditional “feminine” crimes (such as prostitution and shoplifting) are being replaced by more assertive and violent acts like armed robbery and even assassination. Adler emphasizes that this shift doesn’t stem from new motivations but from changing circumstances, and she challenges the myth of inherent female passivity by documenting the evolving cultural landscape.
Side B: This side explores how institutions—from law enforcement to the courts and prisons—have struggled to keep pace with changes in female behavior. Adler critiques the justice system’s gendered assumptions, showing how women have often received either harsher or overly lenient treatment based on outdated ideas. She also highlights discrimination in prison rehabilitation, the invisibility of women’s prison uprisings, and the psychological toll of role confusion (psychological and social uncertainty that many women face as gender roles shift rapidly) and cultural pressure. The tape closes with a call to treat women’s liberation and female criminality as separate issues, arguing for systemic reform rather than a return to traditional gender roles. -
The Goddess and the Origins of Patriarchy
The Lesbian Radio Show, hosted by Rose Jordan. Discussion about the ancient goddess culture and feminist spirituality with Merlin Stone, author of "When God Was a Woman" (1976) and Grace Chanel, who had recent article in feminist journal, Heresies (1978). -
The Lesbian Show - Kwanza
Recordings of a group discussion around the 7 principles of Kwanzaa, particularly in regards to community and faith, interspersed with singing of Kwanzaa songs. -
Sexual Harassment on the Job
Side A is a radio program on WBAI in New York, hosted by Viv Sutherland, and addresses the serious issue of sexual harassment in the workplace. The show consists of two central interviews: Mary Garvin, a carpenter and member of a union, and Rachel, a legal secretary, who both tell their own stories of being harassed at the workplace. Mary Garvin, a member of United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, Local 1204, describes her own encounters with casual and malicious forms of harassment at work on building sites, such as discriminatory treatment as a minority worker. Rachel describes a hellish experience of attempted sexual attack by her employer, a private attorney, detailing being physically restrained and assaulted in his office. The program also features phone-ins from listeners discussing different issues surrounding sexual harassment, law, and potential responses to such an event––some advocating for violent responses. The discussion touches upon the issue of complexities of building harassment cases, shortcomings in current legal protection, and the need for systemic changes to assist the victims better and prevent workplace harassment. Side B continues with call-ins. It expands on themes from the first half but brings in more emphasis on legal, economic, and cultural barriers to justice. The program ends with a call for systemic change, grassroots activism, and women reclaiming their power in courtrooms, workplaces, and daily interactions. -
Simone de Beauvoir discusses the art of writing
Recorded in Paris with Studs Terkel, Simone de Beauvoir describes her philosophies of life and writing her memoirs, discussing: her childhood upbringing in Catholic school, dynamics with her parents, artistic influences in her life, the experience of being a woman writer, and wartime. -
The Lesbian in Literature - Episode 3 of 4
This tape contains the third panel from the Gay Academic Union Conference at NYU, the "Lesbian in Literature" Panel. Panelists are Janet Cooper, speaking on female crushes and friendships in children's literature, and Cynthia Secor, speaking about Gertrude Stein and James Joyce. The moderator was Virginia Caputo.
Janet describes that the first room in a library targeted specifically for children was in the Pratt Library in Brooklyn in 1895. The librarian Anne Carole Moore worked there, and would become a very influential children's librarian. She speaks on the monopoly of children's literature in publishing and book awards, with Anne Carole Moore at the center due to her connections with other powerful librarians. Since Anne Carole Moore's appointment, child friendships and friend crushes in literature have disappeared. The removal of content in library books where children physically touched each other, Janet says, was a direct result of the fear of lesbianism.
Cynthia Secor speaks about Gertrude Stein and James Joyce. She asserts that Stein is an oft-overlooked figure in literature. Gertrude Stein was a sort of hidden figure, while James Joyce was taught everywhere. Stein was read by many lesbian women, but Cynthia did not read Stein until she joined the lesbian community. Cynthia reads a passage by Stein, "Cow come out...", discusses Stein's novella, Q.E.D., and her "Patriarchal Poetry" essay. -
Marilyn Coffey
Irene Yarrow hosts writer and poet Marilyn Coffey on the show Everywomanspace. The program starts with Marilyn reading several of her poems: "Insight," "The Diet," "Wordlessly," and "Observation." Irene and Marilyn discuss Marilyn's brief career in journalism and development as a writer, and the writing of her novel, Marcella, a coming-of-age story. Marilyn then reads an excerpt from Marcella.
After the excerpt, Marilyn Coffey explains the projects she has been working on more recently--her second novel, books of essays, and teaching English at Pratt Institute. Irene and Marilyn discuss the difficulties of switching between various forms of writing, like poetry vs. prose vs. non-fiction. Marilyn also reflects on how joining the Women's Movement and becoming a feminist has changed her writing and the reception of her writing. They discuss how deeply ingrained the patriarchy is in their lives and consciousnesses. Marilyn reads a final poem, "Cold," to end the program. -
Victoria Brownworth Speaks with Bertha Harris
Victoria Brownworth interviews author Bertha Harris in an episode of Amazon Country. Bertha discusses how writing has been a means of freedom and escape for her, and how she would like fiction to help define what it means to be a lesbian. They also explore whether and how the patriarchy has an impact on what women write. They ruminate on the overlap between politics and art. -
13th Moon: Marilyn Hacker and Grace Paley
Presented in the Women's Studies series, this episode contains poetry readings by Marilyn Hacker, an editor for feminist literary magazine 13th Moon, and poet Grace Paley. -
The Deadly Nightshade: Pamela Brandt and Helen Hooke Speak about the Nightshade and Women's Music
This episode of The Women's Music Hour contains an interview with Pamela Brandt and Helen Hooke, who make up one of the first American all female bands, The Deadly Nightshade. -
It's a Jungle Out There: Jan Alpert Speaks with Rita Mae Brown and reads from her Books
Jan Alpert and Rita Mae Brown discuss Rita Mae's career path and motivations outside of being a writer, as well as her involvement as a street organizer in the women's and gay rights movements. Occasionally throughout the interview, Jan will read excerpts from Rubyfruit Jungle, Rita Mae's first novel, and In Her Day, Rita Mae's second novel. While discussing In Her Day, they cover the lessons Rita Mae learned from writing it. -
The Varied Voices of Black Women
Donna Allegra hosts members of The Varied Voices of Black Women, a touring poetry and music production, on The Lesbian Show. Guests include poet Pat Parker, singer and percussionist Linda Tillery, pianist Mary Watkins and Gwen Avery. -
Mischief Mime
On this episode of The Velvet Sledgehammer, Donna Allegra interviews members of Mischief Mime, a two woman theater troupe from Ithaca, New York. Mischief Mime tours and teaches nationally to prove artists can make it outside of the larger cities. -
Poetry Series: Rosemary Cappello + Barbara Ruth Read Their Poetry
In this episode of Women's Consciousness Raising Hour, the first poet Rosemary Cappello reads a mixture of original poems and poems from friends and other notable poets, surrounding the theme of correspondence. Rosemary views correspondence as the most faithful way to show affection and grow closer with other poets. She also reads a poem that she wrote, in place of an angry letter, to respond to an anti-feminist book review.
The second poet, Barbara Ruth, opens with a poems about her awe for life: her experience knowing and being close to other women, seeing a solar eclipse. Her poems discuss women's issues, specifically, the tension between being a woman and having intense or maddening emotions, and the tensions women have with men. Her poems frequently invoke the power of women and call for a revolution. Furthermore, Barbara grapples with issues of valuing some lives over others, witnessing suffering, narcissism, and simple wanting. She also reads poems about her mother. -
Disquieting Muses and Women on Trial:
The Forbidden Texts of the Three MariasFor this episode of All Night Sunday with the Radio On, Suzan Shown interviews the cast and creator of Disquieting Muses: A Response to the Suicides of Women Artists, discussing the feeling of obligation to find a man, get married, and otherwise fulfill the role of what a woman is supposed to be.
Episode includes a reading of an untitled poem by Marilyn Monroe. Features a recording of Women on Trial: The Forbidden Texts of the Three Marias, a one-night only performance about the case of three women authors who wrote against Portugal's dictatorship and were subsequently put on trial. -
Disquieting Muses: A Response to the Suicide of Women Artists
Suzan Shown interviews the cast and creator of the theater show Disquieting Muses: A Response to the Suicides of Women Artists, which examines suicides among women artists. -
Viv Sutherland Speaks with Myrna Lamb about Her New Play
Myrna Lamb guest stars on Women's Studies to talk about her new play, Apple Pie. Apple Pie is a musical theater piece about a woman's life in Nuremberg. The play grapples with issues of moral truths and internal and external judgement. Myrna and Viv also discuss the difficulties and complexities of being a woman playright, and various ways that the play attempts to tackle sexism, racism, and anti-semitism in society. They also discuss Myrna's run-ins with male directors in theater and the complex feelings people have about male directors directing women's stories. -
Dyketactics!
(Side A) Victoria Brownworth opens this episode of Amazon Country by announcing that an Amazon Country employee lost her house, belongings and pets to a fire, so they're starting a collection for her through the Women's Cultural Trust. Various other announcements regard upcoming events, a lesbian support group, and the council elections at the Gay Community Center.
Roberta Hacker interviews Linda Norwood and Sherrie Cohen of 'Dyketactics!' to discuss their lawsuit against the police, the first time in history that lesbians have sued the police for brutality, excessive force, and harrassment. This lawsuit regards police action on December 4, 1975, when 'Dyketactics!' (and other groups) attended a (Philadelphia) city council meeting to help urge passing of the "Gay Rights Bill" by the committee. Philadelphia's Civil Defense Squad immediately approached and used excessive force against the women, prompting 'Dyketactics!' to file a lawsuit against the City of Philadelphia for lesbophobic police brutality. Linda and Sherrie encourage women to attend the trial in order to support them. They also ask for feedback so that they can better represent and stand up for the lesbian community. When Victoria asks what they hope to get out of the trial, 'Dyketactics!' dsecribes their hopes to raise consciousness around the need for gay rights.
(Side B) Linda and Sherrie discuss the positive reception they've had regarding the trial, and announce that there will be a community meeting hosted by 'Dyketactics!' to discuss the disbursement of the (potential) compensation from the lawsuit into the lesbian community. -
Gay Community Center
(Side A) Victoria Brownworth this episode of Amazon Country with announcements regarding lesbian and feminist groups and organizations. Roberta Hacker interviews Arleen Olshan of the Gay Community Center. Arleen notes that lesbians are underrepresented in decision-making, policy development and program coordination, and the GCC would benefit from more lesbian involvement. They discuss lesbian separatism (especially relating to how few women are involved with the GCC). Arleen announces upcoming events at the GCC including various lectures by authors and activists, as well as consciousness-raising groups and educational classes. (Continues onto side B) Arleen encourages lesbians to check out the center because they "might be surprised" by the level of feminism that exists within the gay male community.
Includes an ad for the Bicentennial Women's Center. -
Black Women in the Arts
Speakers self-describe the show as "a tape of six creative Black women discussing the media portrayal of Black women and their confrontation of racism and sexism." Originally recorded during the "Black Women in the Arts" Workshop at the National Alliance of Black Feminists conference held in Chicago, October 21-23 [1975]. Broadcast in an episode of Everywomanspace.
(On side A) Darlene Hayes (Phil Donahue Show) discusses media portrayal. Margaret Walker Alexander (poet) discusses the problems facing the Black woman writer. Mari Evans (poet) discusses her experience as a Black woman writer. (Panel continues on side B) Carolyn Marie Rodgers (poet) also discusses her experience as a Black woman writer. Two additional panelists are featured, but their names could not be deciphered. -
Interview with Marge Piercy
On this episode of Everywomanspace, Irene Yarrow interviews poet and author Marge Piercy. Marge discusses her book "Woman on the Edge of Time" and (side B) reads her poems "To Be of Use" and " Living in the Open." -
A Woman's Place - Kate Millett Speaks About Sita
(Side A) Viv Sutherland welcomes listeners to The Velvet Sledgehammer and announces that the show's program will include "Hot Flashes," women's news from "Majority Report"; a story on "A Woman's Place" produced by Irene Yarrow; and an interview of author Kate Millett about her book Sita (1976) conducted by Judy Pasternak and Viv Sutherland.
The first segment is "Hot Flashes," a women's news report announced by Nancy Borman. Topics covered include: an "anti-wedding" event sponsored by Majority Report to discuss the sexist details of marriage contracts, Valerie Solanas reprinting Scum Manifesto after the original publisher went out of business and the copyright reverted to her, New York's announcement of plans for a large-scale Women's Rights rally, events for Lesbian Pride Week, and a bill to legalize abortion in Italy.
Irene Yarrow then introduces a tape about "A Woman's Place," a feminist collective in upstate New York that has existed for three years but is now in danger of closing due to lack of support. Irene recorded this tape at "A Woman's Place" and features women's songs, poetry and feelings about what the retreat has meant to them. The recording begins at 19:25 and continues onto side B. Irene announces that women interested in learning about "A Woman's Place" or contributing to save it can contact her. She attributes the music in the recording to Ruth Pelham, and the poetry to Erica Silver.
Kate Millet guest stars in the last segment, discussing her new autobiographical novel, Sita, with Judy Pasternak and Viv Sutherland. Kate describes the plot of Sita as "the plotline of the woman destroyed." She rebuffs "malicious" reviews that called her work either "icky" and "pukey" or "pornographic" for being queer. She considers these reviews to be motivated by bigotry. Kate recounts that a major motivation in writing Sita was to describe the loss of a lover, which she felt does not exist in any other book. She says she wanted to "write a very musical and very romantic book in praise of love: in praise, even, of its melancholy and possible futility." Kate also discusses hoping for "company" in writing "these kinds of books," but that she is alone in having to "take abuse" for them. With Judy Pasternak and Viv Sutherland, Kate Millett reflects on activism and efforts to dismantle the patriarchy. The interview closes with discussion of Kate's visual art. -
Women Writing Series - Episode 2
Irene Yarrow opens this episode of Everywomanspace with information about Lesbian Switchboard and Identity House to help listeners who want to know how to reach the gay community. She recommends these organizations and coming-out groups, along with consciousness-raising groups, for any woman who wants to get together with other women to discuss issues relating to feminism or lesbianism.
Irene interviews Jan Clausen, a poet and writer from Oregon who reads her short story, "The Warsaw Ghetto." Irene and Jan discuss autobiographical writing, the experience of writing about friends and acquaintances, incorporating the political into personal writing, and receiving feedback as a writer. They also debate the question of whether feminist and lesbian writers should publish with women's presses or commercial presses, prompted by a questionnaire Jan sent to a number of lesbian writers, which she describes as her "writing community." Finally, Irene asks Jan if she feels that her stories with "lesbian content" limit her to a lesbian audience. Both hope that all women would be interested in women's content, regardless of sexuality. Jan also reads her poems, "The Christmas Letter" and "This is a Poem for You, Mary."
Irene also takes questions from callers (side B) including a woman asking for advice on how to find resources to respond to her younger sister coming out and a woman who wanted to share her opinion that publishing through women's presses will be the only option when the women's movement "goes out of vogue." -
An Evening with Anaïs Nin - interviewed by Judy Chicago
Part 4 of the Women in the Arts series, introduced by the director of Drama and Literature at KPFK, Clare Spark Loeb. Judy Chicago hosts and interviews author Anaïs Nin on the subjects of feminist literature and women's liberation. They discuss a disagreement they previously had about anger and women's liberation. Anaïs also reads from and discusses her book, Fourth Diary. -
Pleasure by Barbara Barracks
Author Barbara Barracks is interviewed on the show Prose, produced by Sharon Martin. Barbara reads Chapter 10 of her novel Pleasure.
Collection Tree
- WBAI Radio Programs, circa 1970s